


Hell Hath No Fury Like a Devil Woman Scorned

by stormcallsthestorm



Category: Gintama
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-02-02
Packaged: 2019-03-12 16:07:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13550844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stormcallsthestorm/pseuds/stormcallsthestorm
Summary: Gintoki gets into serious trouble while Shinpachi and Kagura are out of Edo. Despite her doubts about her abilities and with little or almost no help available, Tae is determined to rescue the silver perm samurai who saved her countless times and who owns her heart.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Gintama fanfic. I love Gintoki and Tae so much as a pair and as individual characters. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you! :)
> 
> A big shoutout to my sisters in our GinTae family! :)

The setting sun paints a crimson hue on the vast summer sky, with its remaining sun rays illuminating the face of a slender figure standing on a big branch of ginko tree while holding a pair of small binoculars. With gaze fixed on a rundown storehouse several meters across the tree, the hakama-clad figure gasps in horror when she spots what she has been looking for. On a small window, she sees the target of her mission – a silver perm man whose head is hanging down, his upper body stripped naked and bloody. His hands are spread out, each tied to a pillar. His white yukata adorned with blue swirly patterns are now splattered with blood stains. Furious, she shifts the focus of her vision on the ruckus in front of the unconscious silver-headed man. She can hear boisterous laughter and loud bickering coming from what seems to be a group of rowdy drunken men. Stoked, she gets down from the tree. She picks up her long bladed weapon on the ground and grips the handle of another weapon tucked in her hakama's belt. She then rides onto a silver and black motor scooter.

With eyes burning with fury, Tae Shimura grips the handle bars, revs up the engine, and hisses, "Wait for me, Gin-san! These bastards will have hell to pay!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the second chapter! Apologies for the cliches. :)

(Flashback)

It is almost lunchtime, but the kitchen in the Shimura dojo is still busy. Tae is happily singing to B'z's Mienai Chikara while making a bento consisting of piping hot white rice topped with sweet red beans, tamagoyaki, and dango.

After more than three hours and cracking (and burning) more than two dozens of eggs, Tae is able to make a passable tamagoyaki.

"My, I'm glad I didn't burn it this time," she sighs as she admires the bento she has just made. "Even the rice is fine! Thank you, Kami-sama!" I just need to be calm and to concentrate when cooking…

"I just need a tub of Bargain Dash and a box of pudding, and everything is set. I call this meal Death by Sugar!" she gleefully declares.

Excitement is painted all over the brunette's face as she wraps the bento box in a pink furoshiki with small strawberry prints. Tae will attend the summer festival with Gintoki, his little brother's boss, alone for the first time. Shinpachi is in another city for Otsuu's concert tour while Kagura is on a space trip with her father and brought Sadaharu with them. Otose, Tama, and Catherine have been out of town for two days now to visit the Otose's friend in another province. It's not that she doesn't want to be with them; in fact, she misses the whole gang. However, the thought of going alone to the festival and watching the fireworks display with the Yorozuya boss makes her inexplicably giddy.

As she steps out of the dojo gate with her left hand holding the bento and her right hand grasping the handle of her favorite yellow bunny-printed umbrella, Tae's thoughts drift to what happened yesterday...

Flashback

"Yo, Otae!" a familiar voice greeted her as she opened the dojo gate.

"Hey, Gin-san!" She was a bit perplexed to see him drop by the dojo knowing that her brother wasn't there. "Shin-chan won't be home until tomorrow, after Otsuu's concert tour, have you forgotten?"

"I know… and I am not here for Pattsuan. Well, I am here… for you… uhm, I mean to ask you something…"

When he asked her over tea if she wanted to go to the festival with him, she was a bit surprised. Her shock rendered her speechless, which he took as a sign of hesitation.

"Ahhh… maybe you are going with the gorilla, huh? Tch!"

Annoyed with his remark, Tae's fist connected with his right cheek.

Is he jealous? she wondered. Well, part of her wished that was the case. "Don't you ever mention that gorilla stalker again, Gin-san!"

"Otae-saaaaan! Don't go with that good-for-nothing peeeeerrrrmmmm!"wailed the gorilla policeman. A dark aura enveloped Tae as she threw a large flower vase outside the window where the Shinsengumi captain was helplessly hanging on a beam near the window. A loud thud and ear-piercing screams followed later. Tae sat down as if nothing happened, while Gintoki just continued munching a piece of dango. Kondo Isao's stalking and the resulting constant violent rejection of his actions have already become a routine for both of them that nobody bats an eyelash anymore whenever they happen.

"Why don't you invite Sarutobi-san? I'm sure she'll jump from one roof to another because of happiness... Oh wait, how about Tsukuyo-san? I heard she's..."

"Shut up! Why should I? The stalker ninja annoys me to no end, and the drunk terminator will just get me into trouble. Actually, all of you are nothing but trouble!" Gintoki retorted as he wiped blood from the corners of his mouth.

"So does that mean that I am the safest choice?" she teased.

"Uhm... no? Pattsuan is worried that you might do something crazy while he is gone, so I have decided to take you with me. I mean, this is not like a date or something. Besides, having you around is like having a death wish."

Tae cracked her knuckles. She felt her eyebrows twitching. Meanwhile, he was oblivious to the growing fury inside her as he happily snacked on a skewer of dango.

"Well, you may be a mountain gorilla, but as long as I don't annoy you, I am sure that my limbs will be..."

Tae stood up with her right fist about to hit Gintoki's lower jaw, but he was able to block the attack by grabbing both of her arms. She lost her balance and expected her whole body to land on the floor. She closed her eyes as she anticipated a terrible pain and a loud thud, but to her surprise, something cushioned her head and back from the fall.

"Oi!" she heard him exclaim. With his quick reflexes, Gintoki was able to put his right hand on the back of her head to prevent it from hitting the floor. His fingers caught the ribbon tying her hair into a ponytail, letting loose her brown locks. When she opened her eyes, she saw his face only a few inches away from hers and found his usually dead fish eyes warm and full of concern. For several seconds, their eyes locked, neither of them blinking. Her heartbeat suddenly went wild, and her cheeks started to burn.

Not taking his eyes away from hers, he asked, "Are you okay?"

Tae was about to open her mouth when a loud meow coming from the kitchen startled them, breaking the spell that wrapped them in a whirlwind of emotions. Both of them looked at the direction of the kitchen and returned their gazes to each other. Suddenly becoming aware of the awkward position they are in, the silver perm samurai and the brown-haired cabaret girl instantly averted their gazes from each other. He carefully laid her head on the floor and stood up. Then, he extended his right hand to help her stand up. Tae stood up on her own, ignoring his offer. To hide his embarrassment, the silver perm just scratched the back of his head. Please, Gin-san… don't add more fuel to the fire…

"Uhm, your ribbon…" Gintoki said while still avoiding direct eye contact with her.

"Ah… yeah, t-thank you," she replied in a very soft voice, her eyes fixed on the ribbon. She carefully took it to avoid touching his hand. She turned her back on him and tied her hair again in a ponytail. An uncomfortable silence fell between them.

"Oh, there's no more tea! Wait, I'll go get more." Tae hastily grabs the tray and goes to the kitchen.

What the hell are you doing, Tae? Wait, did I just hear him sigh?

In the kitchen, Tae saw a white cat sitting on the kitchen window. Tae approached the fur devil and hugged it. "Thank you, Dozaemon-kun, for saving me. I almost got myself in deep trouble," she whispered to the large white tomcat. Dozaemon purred and rubbed his face on Tae's. "Okay, here's a treat for you."

It took more than five minutes for Tae to calm herself and go back to the living room still bathe with silence and tension. She found the samurai lying on his side on the floor reading Shounen Jump. After a few quiet minutes and drinking three cups of tea, Gintoki decided to break the ice.

"So, what now? Are you going with me to the festival?"

Tae just glanced at him sideways.

"Otae? Did that fall break your skull that you lost your ability to speak? Don't just look at me. Say something!"

Seeing him get annoyed amused her. She just giggled, and this irked him even more. He's really cute when he's annoyed.

"Do you think this is funny? Ha! Women are really annoying!" he complained.

She rolled her eyes. "Is that how you ask a woman a favor? No wonder, you're not getting yourself a girlfriend!"

Gintoki blushed. "Baka, I don't need a girlfriend. Women are just a pain in the ass… Well, if it's Ketsuno Ana…"

"Say one more stupid thing and I'll send you flying out of the dojo."

"You will never get married if you keep acting like a bouncer instead of a cabaret girl. Ouch! See?" Gintoki winced as Tae delivered a swift blow on his head. "So, Otae, are you coming with me to the festival? Is that enough?"

She flashed her brightest smile and nodded her head.

"So that's a yes?" Tae nodded her head once more. "Tch! Why do we have to run around in circles?" He rose from his seat and headed to the door. Tae trailed behind him to send him off to the gate.

"Um, Gin-san…"

"Yes?"

"Can we stay longer tomorrow night? I really want to watch the fireworks display…"

"If you want to, then I guess we should. It's a promise." They smiled at each other. Tae bowed her head to hide her blushing cheeks.

Gintoki started to walk. After a few steps, he stopped and said without looking back, "Oi, don't be late! I'll pick you up here at 7:00 p.m., so don't keep me waiting. Don't take a bath too long. Geez, seriously, you need to think about saving water..." Tae just rolled her eyes.

"By the way, thanks for the tea and sweets. Ja, ittekimasu!"

"Itterasshai!" replied Tae before she closed the dojo gate.

Reminiscing about what transpired yesterday makes Tae smile. Oh my, Tae, what are you thinking? It's just Gin-san and not some heartthrob or ikemen like Inaba Koshi or Oguri Shun! She shakes her head in disbelief. It's just that lazy-eyed perm! But he really looked charming when he...

"Arrrggghhh! Stop it, Tae!" she screams. It is too late for her to realize that she is already in the busy and crowded section of Kabuki-cho, and her little drama prompts the people around her stop and stare at her. She slowly bows her head to apologize for causing a scene.

With that, she sighs and concedes to the thought that no matter how hard she tries to suppress it, she has already fallen in love with the dead fish-eyed samurai. She doesn't know when it started, but since that night when Shinpachi carried him home fatally wounded after a fight with a tsujigiri who attacked Katsura Kotarou , she realized that she cannot bear to see something bad to happen to him, much more to lose him. She already lost count how many times he has saved her, and each time he does, she falls in love with him more deeply. Despite his carefree attitude and good-for-nothing façade, Gintoki Sakata is the only man aside from her brother that she trusts completely. They bicker a lot, but Tae is confident that he will always be there whenever she needs him and that she will also do the same for him.

Tae decided to make a bento for Gintoki because she is worried that the lazy silver perm might go hungry since he is alone. She intentionally did not call to surprise him. Tae is not sure if Gintoki knows how she feels about him and wonders if she sees her as a potential object of affection or just a little sister. Aside from having a persistent purple-haired ninja stalker, Gintoki is also linked to Tsukuyo, the beautiful and shapely leader of Yoshiwara's paramilitary force. Moreover, he is very much infatuated with the weather girl Ketsuno Ana. Having a lot of competition has even made it difficult for Tae to express her feelings to him.

For some reason, they both seem to know and understand each other deeply, as if they can read each other's thoughts and actions, but Tae cannot ascertain how he really feels for her. She has long wanted to confess her feelings to him, but she is afraid of rejection and its consequences. It will surely affect her relationship with the whole Yorozuya, and she does not know if she can bear to face Gintoki if things do not work on her favor. She eventually realized that she has to take her chances but in a subtle way, and one way to show this is through small acts of love. She does not have an hourglass body and good cooking skills, but she is hopeful that their trust and confidence in each other and mutual concern will prevail in the end. However, for now, she hopes that the outcome of the three hours she spent in the kitchen will make him happy and appreciate her as a woman.

Drowned in her thoughts, Tae does not notice that she is now only a few meters away from the Yorozuya apartment. She stops on her tracks as she sees a group of men getting inside a red car in front of Snack Otose.

Oh, good, the clients are leaving. Then, panic strikes her when she sees a silver perm head resting lifelessly on the headrest of backseat of the car.

Oh my gosh! It's Gin-san! Who are these people? Why are they taking him? She realizes that she has no time to waste. She hails an approaching taxi and tells the driver to follow the car. After traveling for more than ten minutes, she stops in an alley and follows the car on foot to avoid suspicion. The car stops in front of what seems to be a big but dilapidated warehouse. Unarmed and outnumbered, she has no choice but to go back home. Fearing for Gintoki's safety and with time as her foe, she has no time to wait for Shinpachi and to look for possible allies to rescue her Gin-san.

"Why now, of all times!" she groans.

T/N

Tsujigiri - a practice wherein a samurai tests the effectiveness of his new katana or sword by attacking a random passer-by, usually during nighttime. In the Benizakura arc, Katsura Kotarou was attacked by a tsujigiri named Okada Nizou, who was testing the sharpness of Benizakura.

A/N: There's a flashback within a flashback XD. What will our Anego do? Please stick around for the next chapter… Thank you. :)


	3. Chapter 3

Tae goes to Yorozuya apartment hoping to find a clue on what happened to Gintoki. Her attention is immediately caught by a glass of melting parfait, a bowl of untouched Uji Gintoki don, and a box of manju on the table.

There is no blood, nor there is any sign of force or resistance. This is preposterous! How come he was tricked by those bastards? In terms of strength and fighting skills, they are no match to him even if they outnumber him by a dozen or more. How come he was not able to sense an impending danger? That's not just him... she wonders. She closely examines the food to search for clues. They smell all right, but something weird is happening to the parfait.

"That glutton!" she shrieks. Swords won't kill him, but his addiction to sweets will.

The ice cream in the strawberry parfait has turned into a darker shade of green. She empties the contents of the rice bowl and the rice grains at the bottom have also turned into dark green.

Is this poison? Was he poisoned? she suspects. He would have sensed... he would have known... but...

Her worry escalates into terror. She knows that she needs to save him. I wonder, can I really do it alone? I am not as strong as Kagura-chan. I am not even a seasoned fighter like the other girls. If only they were here...

What are you doing, Tae? This is no time to be dilly-dallying. Every minute counts. The only one who can do it right now is you. Gin-san needs you now. If you really love him, you better swallow you doubts and get moving!

Knowing that she has no time to spare, she enters the Yorozuya boss's room and opens his closet.

I know this is where he keeps them. Gotcha! Tae grabs a set of keys. Before she heads out of the apartment, something resting on one of the sofa catches her eye and picks it up.

You'll come in handy later. Then, she closes the door.


	4. Chapter 4

It is lunchtime, so Hakuto Ramen is busy as usual. Ikumatsu, the owner of the ramen shop, is happily chatting with her customers when she hears a familiar sound of an engine. However, to her shock, instead of a silver perm samurai, a lovely brunette emerged from the vehicle.

"Hi, Otae-san! What brings you here? And why are you dri-"

"Good afternoon, Ikumatsu-san! Is Katsura-san here?" Tae interrupts.

Ikumatsu looks at the brunette's worried face and senses that something bad has happened. "He is not here. He left an hour ago saying he has a meeting with his comrades. Why?"

"Do you know where he is now?" Tae is becoming more frantic every minute.

"I'm sorry, but he doesn't tell me about Joui stuff. What's wrong?"

"It's Gin-san. He needs help." What will I do now? "Well, I think I'll just leave a note for Katsura-san. Do you have a pen and paper?" Tae asks.

"Huh?! What has he gotten himself to this time?" The blonde ramen bar owner hands a pen and paper to Tae. The brunette then hastily scribbles a message for Katsura.

"Please give this to Katsura-san as soon as he arrives. Oh, I got to go now. Sorry, Ikumatsu-san. Thank you…"

"Okay..." is the only word Ikumatsu can utter as she watches Tae get onto the motor scooter and drive away.

# # #

After a few minutes, Tae reaches the dojo. She takes off her pink kimono, changes into another kimono and hakama that she uses for training, and grabs her naginata.

Tonight, I will not be serving drinks. Instead, I will make those bastards drink their own blood for incurring my wrath – for hurting Gin-san. I guess it's time to show the world what Tendou Mushin Ryuu is!

With a grim determination to rescue Gintoki, Tae once again revs up the scooter engine and heads to where she needs to be – beside him.

A/N: Are we going to see our dear Anego dive into action in the next chapter? Thank you! :D


	5. Chapter 5

"A samurai does not make a promise that he does not intend to keep. Right, Gin-san?"

"Of course..."

"I guess, I'll see you then… Don't you dare stand me up!" Then, the brunette flashes her sweetest smile to conceal the threat she just made.

Then, a faint glimmer suddenly grows into a blinding mass of light, prompting Gintoki to close his eyes. Tens of seconds later, he tries to open his eyes, but strangely, his eyelids seem to be weighed down by gravity. He tries to search for the brown-haired woman he was talking to only moments ago, but she is nowhere to be found.

As he struggles to open his eyes, Gintoki feels his whole body aching and trembling. He tries to lift his right arm, but something keeps him from doing so. If not for the thick ropes that hold him, he would have fallen on the ground. When his eyes opened, he suddenly finds himself in a dark and rundown place instead of the wonderful scenery he was in just moments ago.

Damn! How did I end up being tied like this? he curses when he realizes the current situation he is in. Had it been a normal situation, he could have burst the thick bands that are tightly wrapped around his hands and feet. Instead of the brown-haired woman's sweet voice, he hears boisterous laughter and curses nearby and sees group of rowdy and burly men drinking. Based on their conversations, he surmises that they are fighting over a card game. Gintoki thinks that it will be wise for him to fake unconsciousness so as not to attract their attention.

As he tries to remember what happened, his head aches even more. The last thing he remembers is feasting on a tall glass of parfait and a box of manju that came with the big bowl of Gintoki uji don he ordered from the old granny where he always gets the sweet treat. He was puzzled why his order came with a parfait and a box of manju, but the delivery man told him that it's part of their promo. After downing almost half of the parfait, his vision started to blur, and he remembers nothing more. As he looks at the group of hoodlum meters away from him, he spots the delivery man.

Tch! So that guy had been spying on me since he started working with the restaurant granny two weeks ago…

Gintoki curses under his breath as he realizes that he was tricked by some ruffians using his addiction for saccharine treats as bait. He scans the area as he thinks of ways to escape once he regains his strength and gets rid of the ropes tied around his arms and legs. With his vision slightly getting clearer, he can see the summer sky illuminated by the moon. A pillar of moonlight passes through the window, making things a little less visible in the big shabby place he is in. The cicadas seem to be chanting praises to the moon with its majestic splendor lighting up that summer night, competing with the noise made by the gangsters still ringing through the night.

She must be fuming mad right now. I'll have hell to pay for not being able to show up. Gintoki smiles wryly as he remembers his promise to accompany Tae to the summer festival. He hates to admit it that although he misses the kids, he is looking forward to be spending time alone with her. Yes, they consider each other family, but he just could not deny the sheer feeling brought by the brunette whenever they are together. She can't cook, has the strength of a mountain gorilla, and has a chest as flat as the plains of Sekigahara; but her smile, her inner strength and wisdom, and her ability to see through him make her stand out among other women. She makes him feel at ease, and her smile is always the brightest that he cannot help but be swept away by it. Also, seeing her worried face every time he gets into trouble pierces his heart. Her small yet warm and soft hands have always been reliable in treating his battle wounds, no matter how deep or severe they are. He may not say it, but he is glad that he has her in his life. She, the kids, and the giant fur ball are his family. They are his home.

He is reminded of the time when he was feeling a bit mad when he saw the gorilla stalker and Tae together last summer festival. He thought of ways on how to lure the gorilla on spending money on their booths and at the same time lead him away from her. It was great that she was able to see through the disguise and that she was just going along with the flow to expose the gorilla stalker.

Damn… If only I had the strength to get myself from these ropes right now… guess I'll just rest a bit to regain my strength and think of how to get out of here later. Maybe if I-

Gintoki's train of thought is suddenly stopped when the gangsters scramble as they are startled by a loud sound made by what seem to be a vehicle bursting the door of the building open. He looks up to see what the ruckus is all about. Even with his slightly blurry vision, he cannot believe what he sees…

# # #

"Good evening, Ikumatsu-dono! I am back!" Katsura Kotaro announces as he enters the door of Hakuto Ramen.

Ikumatsu stops stirring the ramen soup she is preparing when she hears Katsura's voice. He approaches the counter when he sees her worried face.

"My goodness, what took you so long!" she exclaims as she scrambles to look for something in her apron pocket.

"Has there been an emergency? Did that stupid brother-in-law of yours come to pester you again?" the long-haired samurai asks when he sees her worriedly searching her pockets. Ikumatsu hands the still puzzled Katsura with the paper she got from her pocket.

"Ahhh! Did Okada Masaki come here and give you an autograph? You should have asked him to take a picture with you. Did he say when he is coming b-" Katsura is not able to finish his sentence as Ikumatsu grabs the paper from him and smacks it on his face.

"Just read it!" Ikumatsu hisses. It is only then that he starts to open the folded note.

"From Otae-dono? Huh? Gintoki! Damn it!" Katsura curses after reading the note.

"Ikumatsu-dono, I'll be back late. I'll tell Elizabeth to come here as soon as possible. He is just buying shampoo at Oedo Supermarket. They are on sale-"

"Just shut up and go!" Ikumatsu hollers once again at the Joui leader. The surprised customers look at the two of them. Both Ikumatsu and Katsura bow their heads to apologize.

"Your friend badly needs you… " Ikumatsu's stern voice cannot conceal the worry she feels not only for Gintoki but most importantly for the man standing infront of her.

Just as when Katsura is about to reach the door, Ikumatsu calls him.

"Katsura-san!"

The Joui leader turns around and looks at her, waiting for whatever she wants to say.

"I'll be expecting you later."

"Then, prepare a bowl of warm soba for me," he says with a smile before he makes his way out of the door.


	6. Chapter 6

Tae takes a deep breath as she stares at the massive door of the warehouse. With a hell-bent determination, she holds the handle bars tightly and rams the scooter into the door, and it bursts open.

Astonished by the sudden attack, the gangsters rush to get their swords to face the intruder. Seeing that the intruder is a woman, the gangsters laugh.

"A woman?! What makes you think you can beat us? Just go home and wash the dishes!" the leader of the gangster laughs mockingly and the rest of the follow.

"Oh, it's just that cabaret girl!" another gangster says.

"A cabaret girl you say? Get down on your knees because I am the queen of Kabuki District!" Tae proudly proclaims and wastes no time. She swings her naginata and immediately slashes four men. Some of them lunge at her but are immediately stopped by a few slashes of her naginata. Her eyes search the room and finds Gintoki helplessly tied and wounded. The remaining hoodlums attack her, but nothing can stop an angry woman 's rage, with every swing of her naginata causing deep injuries to anyone it comes contact with. Still on the scooter, she throws her bladed weapon to the left side, which pierces the shoulders of one of the gangsters. With only two men left standing, Tae grabs the bokuto she keeps in her hakama's belt and hits the two gangsters in one swipe. After making sure that the coast is clear, Tae immediately drives toward Gintoki's spot and cuts the ropes that bind him to the pillars. She is horrified by what she sees, as if what she has seen a while ago is not enough to warn her of his real condition.

"You came… " Gintoki whispers to her. "You are really a monster."

"Of course. Aren't you glad that a beautiful monster came to save your dirty ass? I'll just smash your face when you get better. Now, let's go."

Gintoki looks at the wooden sword she is holding. "I see, that is mine,"

"I found it lying on your sofa. You know I hate mess," Tae retorts as she helps Gintoki get onto the scooter. After taking her seat on the vehicle, the lady warns the silver perm, "Hold on tight, and we'll get our asses out of here."

As Tae restarts the engine, some of the wounded gangsters start to chase them. She drives swiftly toward the door. When one of the chasing hoodlums is about to grab the sleeve of her kimono, Tae smashes the bokuto on his head. As they approach the gate, a large group of samurai approaches. She is about to strike them with the bokuto when she hears a familiar voice calling her and Gintoki.

"Gintoki! Otae-dono!"

"Thank goodness, Katsura-san, you came!" Tae exclaims.

"Comrades, search the warehouse!" Kotaro commands his men.

"I apologize for being late."

"Katsura-san, there are 15 heavily injured. No casualties," reports one of the Joui rebels.

Suddenly, fear and astonishment registered on the faces of the Joui rebels as they look at Tae and the blood-stained naginata and the sleeves of her kimono.

"I see, even if I had not come, somebody would still save your ass, huh, Gintoki?" Katsura quips.

"Oi, Zura…" Gintoki is too weak to retort.

"Zura ja nai, Katsura da!" the Joui leader belts out his signature line.

"Otae-dono, as you have requested, I have already investigated the crime scene. Apparently, somebody poisoned him using a new drug brought to Earth by the Harusame. These men who captured him are part of the drug network accidentally busted by the Yorozuya three months ago while looking for a cat. Good thing this idiot loves sugar so much that the poison seemed to have not affected him that much, and the idiot who prepared the food seemed to have not known that sugar weakens the effect of the drug."

"Thank you very much, Katsura-san!"

"I guess you'd better get going. His injuries are not really fatal, but they need to be treated immediately. Take this with you. It will help wash away the poison. There is no need to take him to the hospital," Katsura says as he gives a packet to Tae.

Tae smiles at Katsura and starts the scooter again. She drives so fast that they reach the dojo in less than ten minutes.

Upon arriving at the dojo, Tae wastes no time. She immediately takes Gintoki to the main room and takes off his bloody clothes. Then, she goes to the kitchen to boil water and raids the medicine cabinet for medicine and antiseptic. When everything is set, she helps him take the medicine given by Katsura. She proceeds to wipe dried blood on his hair and body and apply medicine and bandage on his wounds. Gintoki is just silently watching her the whole time she is doing this. He is amazed that the raging woman who fearlessly rode his scooter and swung her naginata and his bokuto to rescue him from more than a dozen hoodlums is also the same woman who is gently wiping the blood off his body and treating his wounds. It was not the first time he saw her fight fearlessly, but still, the contrast is really astonishing. How can a strong and fearless warrior and a sweet, warm, and gentle woman be the same person? Gintoki is just too amazed by this woman.

"Please rest, Gin-san," she says, eyes still downcast.

"How did you find out?" he asks.

"Well, I was about to go to your house when I saw a group of suspicious men take you inside a car. I followed you. After finding out your location, I went back to the apartment to figure out how to save you. I took your bokuto and scooter because I knew they would be useful. Then, I went to Hakuto Ramen; but Katsura-san was not there; so I just left a note."

Gintoki ponders on her narrative. Tae Shimura is indeed a femme fatal.

"I couldn't believe that you've come..."

"Because you were expecting a hot blonde ninja to rescue you, perhaps?" Tae retorts.

"Oi, oi, oi, someone is jealous..." he teases.

"Were you frustrated that it was me…" her voice croaks as she struggles to fight back the tears forming in her eyes.

"Oi, it's not like that! What I want to say is that I was just…"

"You just didn't know how worried I was, how I was about to lose my mind searching for help just to save you. I am not expecting you to thank me, but at least don't show some frustration that it was me and not somebody else who came to save your ass!"

Gintoki struggles to get up and reach her hand. She slaps the hand that is trying to reach out to her, and the tears that she has been trying to suppress have already made their way down to her cheeks.

"I was not sure if I could save you, but I still came. It's not because I had no choice nor there was no one to ask help from, but I did it because I don't want you to get hurt."

Gintoki is rendered speechless by what she said. He wants to say something, but the fear of hurting her more with the words that will come out of his mouth prevents him from doing so.

"People always tell me that I am violent, that I only use my strength to beat you and the other guys around, that I am useless because I am always absent in the battlefield. Yet, now when I gathered my resolve to rescue someone important to me, I still don't get appreciated even by the very person whom I risked my life for…" The tinge of anger and bitterness in her voice is becoming more apparent.

Gintoki tries his best to rise, yet his knees are still weak from the poison and his wounds are still throbbing in pain. Instead, he props himself up and moves to lean on the mini table beside him. Then, after gaining sufficient strength, he slowly moves toward where she is sitting. He faces her and grabs her hands. Then, he lifts her chin. Their eyes meet, but Tae is the first one to look away. Undaunted, Gintoki cups her face with his hands. She wants to smack him, but strangely, her usual reflex is not working that moment. She is just too numb with pain to do it.

"Otae-chan, please listen to me. First, I want to thank you for saving me. I was about to lose hope, knowing that almost no one was around, but there you were, arriving like a goddess of war riding my scooter unflinchingly swinging your naginata and managing to take down more than a dozen men twice or even thrice your size. It's not that I was expecting somebody else. It was just I was too stunned, and still I am, to see the very person I had wanted to see coming to my rescue…"

"I know that you will be among the first to help me when I get in trouble. You have proven that to me many times already."

"How many times do I have to tell you that you do not need to prove your worth as a woman, as a samurai in the battlefield? What you did a while ago shows what a great samurai warrior you are… Shinpachi and your father would have been very proud. Otae-chan, this may be the first time that I'll be telling you this; but I admire your strength, your wisdom, and your kindness. Among the people close to me, you are the one who understands me the most, and these caring hands have always been reliable in mending my wounds."

Tae cannot believe what she is hearing, but she chooses to believe him. Gintoki wipes the tears streaming down her face.

"Otae-chan, I really appreciate having you and the kids in my life. And never ever underestimate yourself again. You are your own brand of woman."

"Tch! I hate seeing a crying woman, much more making them cry... and crying does not suit you. Your smile... is something I always want to see... and protect..."

"Gin-san, with the insults I get from you almost every day, I do not know if I should believe you." Tae replies with a bitter smile.

"Hah! I made a fool out of myself for telling me these things, and you still do not believe me? Such as cold-hearted woman you are!" Gintoki teases.

"So in the end, you still get to insult me? Hah!" Tae retorts. She gets up and picks up the basin and the medicine box, but she stops when she hears her name.

"Otae-chan, one more thing…"

"What?"

"How did you learn to drive a scooter?"

"Gin-san, a samurai does not concern himself or herself with trivial things," she replies as she heads toward the kitchen.

The silver-haired samurai just shakes his head. "Tch! What an uncute woman!"

After 30 minutes, Tae goes back to the room, this time with a set of clean clothes and a basin. She, too, has changed into her usual salmon pink kimono.

"Gin-san, we have to change your clothes…"

After putting the garments beside him, she pours hot water into the basin, dips the towel in the basin, and squeezes it to dry. Then, she wipes Gintoki's face. She repeats the process before wiping the other parts of his body. This is not the first time she is doing this, but her hands tremble when she gets to his chest. Gintoki is just silently looking at her and following her orders to save himself from more injuries. However, he is a bit surprised when she stops when wiping his shoulders and throws the towel on his face.

"Oi, what was that for?" Gintoki complains.

"Just do it yourself!" Tae snarls as she turns her back from him.

Puzzled, Gintoki picks up the towel and tries his best to wipe his chest, but he cannot do it.

"Otae-chan, my hands are still a bit numb and shaking."

"Okay…"

Tae hastily rubs the towel on his chest and his torso to hide the tremors in her hands.

"Ouch!"

"Sorry! Uhm... Hey, you need to put these on."

Tae helps Gintoki put on a loose kimono. Gintoki can't help himself but stare at her the whole time. He is so entranced by her lovely face and grace. Also, the scent of what seems to be her shampoo refreshes him. Then, when she is about to tie the kimono, Gintoki suddenly props her chin up and kisses her. He has been resisting the urge to kiss her since she was busy wiping his body.

The brunette is startled. Part of her wants to smash his face on the ground, but a bigger part of her just prompts her to close her eyes and enjoy the sheer feeling brought by the union of their lips. Then, in what seems like an eternity, their lips part, and Tae opens her eyes.

Gintoki's usual dead fish eyes are looking intently at her. It is obvious that he is fighting the urge to kiss her again. She, too, locks her gaze on him as if begging for him to kiss her again. Then, he closes his eyes and plants a kiss on her forehead.

"I've been wanting to kiss you so badly since yesterday, but I want to do it again when my injuries heal…" he mutters.

"Gin-san, I…"

Then, the sky suddenly lit up with a burst of colorful flickers of fireworks, stealing both their attention momentarily. They gaze back at each other, and he reaches for her hands again and squeezes them.

"Otae-chan, I guess with my condition right now, I will not be able to take you to the festival, but we can still see the fireworks from here, right?" he tells her with a smile.

Tae nods. "Gin-san, the view is better at the balcony, but I am afraid that you cannot go there."

"There's a better place where I can enjoy the view," he says with a sheepish grin.

Gintoki lets go of Tae's hands and moves to her side. Then, slowly, he lies down and rests his head on her lap. As she starts playing with the mass of curly white hair on her lap, he takes her left hand and kisses it before he intertwines his fingers with hers. They stare briefly at each other before looking outside, silently admiring the summer sky being painted by the colors of the fireworks and feeling thankful that they survived a horrible day and that they still get to spend a wonderful summer night together.

\- END -


End file.
